Traditional Golfers Around World Rejoice At "Belly Putter" Ban

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The decision on Tuesday by golf’s rule-makers to ban the anchoring of putters brought cheers and jeers from among prominent players and major golf organisations.

The U.S. PGA Tour and the PGA of America, who both emphatically opposed the proposed rule, said they were still against a ban and would evaluate their positions now that the rule has been officially adopted to begin on January 1, 2016.

Players anchoring long putters have won four of the last six major championships, capped by Adam Scott becoming the first Australian to win the Masters last month.

Opponents of the anchoring style have said it is not a true golf stroke and that stabilizing the putter against one’s body can give users an advantage to combat nervous hands and what golfers refer to as the yips.

Hall of Famer Gary Player of South Africa, winner of nine major championships and a career grand slam, saluted the ban.

“I spent hours and hours training my mind to have good nerves under pressure. The long putter takes away the nerves. It allows you to hide the nerves and nerves are an integral part of the game of golf,” Player said.

Players that anchor their putters have insisted they enjoy no meaningful advantage and should be able to continue.

American Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA champion, suggested during the discussion phase of the rules process that he might consider legal action against a ban.

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Colin Montgomerie, the 2010 Europe Ryder Cup captain, said he hoped Bradley would not resort to that.

“Let’s hope not,” Montgomerie said on Tuesday. “He is entitled to do what he wants to do but let’s hope he plays by the R&A and USGA rules.

“I have used an anchored putter and it was easier to putt with it, rather than without, but I’m in favour of the ban.”

USGA executive director Mike Davis said golf would be hurt if the PGA Tour decided to ignore the ban.

“When we write and interpret the rules of golf we do it for millions of golfers worldwide, 50, 60 million golfers,” Davis said at a news conference at USGA headquarters in New Jersey.

“The PGA Tour is very small, a few hundred players, but they have big impact on the game.

“When white belts appeared on the PGA Tour, guess what, they appeared in recreational golf. I think it’s really important that the PGA Tour and the professional tours…follow one set of rules.”

“We’ve had our oars in the water with the PGA Tour, and we’ll watch with great interest to see what they do as well,” said Bishop.

USGA president Glen Nager said this was a critical time for golf to move forward in unity.

“We hope that these organisations will continue their past behaviour of playing by a single set of rules for the good of the game,” Nager said. “A game that’s growing globally, that will be going to the Olympics and needs one set of rules to thrive.”